Many items fabricated or assembled at a plant must be packaged for shipment upon completion of the fabrication or assembly processes. Although such packaging is necessary, the time and costs associated with packaging items do not relate directly to the manufacture of core products. Therefore, in an effort to maintain a focus on core product production, many manufacturers seek to reduce the time and costs associated with packaging so that resources can be directed to the core manufacturing activities.
Corrugated boxes are well known and facilitate reducing the packaging time and costs. Specifically, such boxes generally are not expensive and are easily and quickly assembled. Although corrugated boxes provide some protection against damage for some items, such boxes lack the strength and rigidity needed for heavy items such as appliances. In addition, such boxes generally are not reusable and are discarded after one delivery.
With heavier items such as heavy machinery (e.g., generators), fragile items, and appliances, such items typically are built on pallets and then upon completion of the manufacturing process, a crate is built around the items using the pallet as a base. For example, and with respect to a generator, the generator typically is assembled on a pallet and upon completion of the generator assembly process, crate side units are stapled (e.g., using a staple gun) to the pallet and to each other. A top may then be located over the side members and stapled to the side member edges. Crates fabricated in this manner have been used for many years.
Typically, and to increase productivity, two workers having staple guns assemble the crate. At various times during the crate assembly process, one worker will be shooting staples into the pallet in a direction toward the other worker. Of course, workers recognize the hazard and wear protective clothing and eye protection. In spite of the precautions and protection measures, having one worker shoot staples in the direction of another worker remains hazardous and it would be desirable to eliminate this situation. In addition, having workers assigned to building such crates is expensive in terms of labor costs. Further, since staples are used in the assembly process, such crates generally are not reusable and typically are discarded after one delivery.
In an attempt to reduce at least the labor costs associated with assembling crates, a known crate subassembly includes four side units preassembled and interconnected using nylon straps. The nylon straps are used so that the side units can be easily and quickly arranged around a pallet. While this known subassembly does provide some advantages, the subassembly is flimsy and may collapse on a worker when attempting to position the subassembly around a pallet. In addition, some stapling must be done in order to secure the subassembly to a pallet. The known subassembly also is not reusable and typically is discarded after one delivery.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide methods and apparatus which enable safe, easy, and fast assembly of sturdy and reusable crates. It also would be desirable to provide a crate subassembly which is low in cost and does not easily collapse during assembly.